Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
2 ~
ANKLE BRA~E
BA~h~R~N~ OF IHE l~v~NlIO~
The present in~en~ion relates to ankle ~races, an~, in
parti~ul~r, to ~n ~nkl~ bra~e ~hich per~ts ~lexing of th~ ankle
forward 4~ bac~ward (plantarrlexlon and dorsiflexion~ while
preven~in~ the ank~ from flexin~ ~nw~rd or outward ($nver6ion
or ever~on), ln ordsr to pro~ote ~ealing of an injured ank~e or
pre~ent in~ury to an ~njury-prone an~le ~urln~ exerclse.
An~l~ in~uries are among the most common injuries in
1~ ~ports . ~ order to p~ote~t the ~nkle~ ~any ~thletes have
wr~pped ~he anklQ ~rea with adhe~ive tape. The application of
tape ~5 expenglve both ~e~ause it is time consumlng and ~ecause
of the C05t of the t~pe lt6e~. It is al80 not very effec~ive,
~ecau~e th~ tape loos~n~ gui~kly a~er exercise i~ begun. The
u~e of tape has al~o been ~own to weaken ankle~ if used o~e~ a
long period of time bec~use it causes a los~ of planta~flexion
~nd dorsi~lexion.
When an ankle i~ ln~ured, ~he trad~tional ~ethod for
2S p~omo~ng healing i~ to apply prs~u~e to the ~rea ~o reduce
~well~ng. The curren~ ~ethod for applying pressure is t~ ~pply
~t over a l~rqe Area, which limits th¢ r~nge of motion of the
~n~le. When la~e area~ ~re cove~ed by a compress~on device,
the ~aterial ¢ontact~ng ~he ~oot mus~ be fsirly flexi~le or
~of~, ~u~ ~s an elAstic bandage or an ~ir bag, in o~der to
~void being uncomfor~able. ~hls ceverely li~it~ the amount of
preæ~ure th~t cAn ~e applie~ to tl~e ln~ury eite to r~duce
swelling. Also, w$th ~n ~i~ bAg, the foo~ rubQ ~gatn~t the bag
ln order to mov~, cauæ$ng ~ ~ritat~on to the foot, ~nd gen~rating
heat. 1~ i~ no~ dR~ira~le to add heat to ~ cwollen ~nkle.
S
Ano~he:r treat~nent m~thod ~5 t;o exe~ci~e the j oint to
promote heal~r1g . ExerG1 ~e bxings grea~er blood flow to the area
~nd prevents ~he atrophy of mu~cle~. ~he current trend in ~nedi~
cine ~s to pro~otq exer~ie~ a~ ~c7on a~ possible. Howe~rer, in
1~ traditior~l treat~ent ~ethod~, the ankle cou~ d not b~ properly
exercised until after th~ compression was removed, thereby
g~e~tly del~ying ~he exercise therapy.
SU~ OF THE ~ ;Nl lON
lS
The pre~ent inves~tion provids~ a reu~able ankle brace
wl~h clo~ely conformæ ~natomic~lly to the ~n~cle so tllat lt iS
~omfortable and so tha~ i~ pivots along the ~a~e axi~ as t~e
~nkle .
The pre~en~ invention pr~vid~s ~he gre~te~t pos5~ble
flexing of the ankle forw~rd and backward ~plantar~lex~on and
dors~flexion) while preventing inversiDn an~ ever~io~ o~ th~
ankl~ i~ orde~ ~o p~omote ~ealing.
2~
In ~ddit~on, the prcsent $nv~ntion provides an ~nkle
~race w~t~ interchang~a~le p~d , ~o tbat a thick ~nd relatively
etiff compresslon pad can be usRd to pro~ide un~ form pressure
directly on ~he in~ured ~rea ehortly after i~ is ~n~u~ed, and,
whe~ ~he ~w~ ng i~ r~duced, o thlnner ~xercise pad ~n be
in~erted to p~rm~t grea~er f re~do~ of ~ove~ent.
~ he compre6sion pad of the pressnt in~nt~on covers
~uch les~ of the foot than ot~er device~, con~entrat~ng it~
oompresslve force ~n the ~rea of the ~n~ury ~nd leaving the rest
o~ the foot free to moYe. This ~ean5 tha~ there i~ mor8 freedom
o~ ~ov~nt in plant~rflexion ~nd do~siflexion wi~h ~he present
inv~ntion. Pl~ntarfl~xion ~nd do~iflexion do not u ually cause
injslry, 80 thls kin~ o~ ~otlon is de~ira3~1e in order to pro~ote
h~l Lng an~ ~eduoe muscle atrophy.
The fact that the co~pression pad of the present
ln~ntion concentra~es its co~pressive force in the are~ o~ ~he
15 in~ury also means th~t ~h$~ compre5sion pad can be rel~tively
rigid and ther~ore ~pply more pre~u~e to the lnjured area
without being uncomfc~rtable.
Th~ ute of ~he ankle ~race of the pre&ent invention
~O p~ovides the opt~m~m co~in~tl~n Or pres$ure ~pp~ied to the
~ure~ area to red~ce ~wellinq and flexibility of the ~oint to
permit exer¢iFe w~ich promotes healin~ and redu¢es mu5cle
~trophy. In t~ way, a ~n~le bra~e prov~des ~he bene~it~ ~oth
of ~ co~pres~on strategy and ~n exercise ~trategy to pro~ote
he~ling, while protecting the an~le from further injury~
The Ankle br~ce of the p~esent invention al~o giv~s
the wea~er control over the tre~tment Of t~e in~Ury, which
~46~
p~rmits th¢ ~reatmerst ~o be q~ickly c~anged, depending on the
condit ~ on of the ~n~
In ~dd~t$on, the present ~nventi~,n p~o~des ~ ~ear,
~ngulAr etr~p whi~h improve~ the f~nct~orl of th~ bra~e. ~t
ol~nates nny problsm ~it~ the ~race ~lidin~ forward cn the
~oot while, ~t the ~ame t$me, provid$ng a better flt and
providing ~n add~tional fcrce to pr~vent in~ter610n~ Since
~rivers$or- $in~ur~ss are ~bout 85~ o~ the ~nkle injurlo~, thi~
10 additional ~uppo~t iE; ve~y helpful.
In on~ em3;~od~ment, the invention i ncludes a cold p~ck
lnsert, which ¢an b~ u~ed ~hortly after in~ury to r~duce
~welling. The cold paok may Al~o be used pe~odically a~
1~ need~d, such a~ to p~event swell~ng after exerci~e.
In additlon, ~he pre~ent arlkle ~ace ~5 designed 60
~at ~t provides the ~ame ex~ellen~ fit on either th~ left or
r~ght foot, there~y re~uciny the number of brace5 that need to
20 be ~ept ~n stock in a doctor'~ or trainer'~ off~ce while oYe~-
co~ing the prob~e~s of box-l~k~, gymmetrical brelces wh$ch ~o not
pro~ide good f it .
B~IEF DESCRIPTION OF TH~: DRAWIN~S
~ igure 1 i~ ~ perspç~tive view t~ken from the front
left gide of ~n an~cle brace ma~e in ~cordanc~ w~th the p~esent
ln~ention, includi~g two ~xercise pad~, ~nd showing the l~ft
t`oot;
3~
~ ~ 2 4 6 1 5
F~g~e 2 $~ ~ per6pective ~iew of two compre~sio~ pa~s
made in ~ccordance wl~h ~he pre~ent ~n~n~l~n;
Figur~ 3 i8 an exp~oded per~pectivB v~w o~ th~ ~nkle
~ra~ of Figure 1:
Figure 4 $B ~ ~ront view of the ~nkle br~ce of ~igure
1:
~0 Figure 5 i5 a vi~w t~k~n ~lo~g the ~e~tion 5-5 of
~$gure 4, with the heel pad remo~eds
Fi~re 6 i5 A side Y~ew uf ~he ~nk~e br~ce of Figure
4, with dif~ren~ position~ ~hown in phantom;
lS
Figure 7 i8 a front view of the ankl~ brace of ~igure
1 exoept that the outer exercine pad has been rsplaced ~y one of
the compre5~ion ~ads shown in ~igure 2;
~igur~ 8 i~ ~ perspective ~iew ~f ~ pA~r of col~
pack~:
~igur~ ront vi~w of the device shown $n Figure
1 excep~ that cold p~ck~ are ~epl~cing the exerci~e pads;
Figure 10 ~ ~ a gide view ~howing the ln6ide o~ one ~f
the exerci~e pads shown in ~igure ~; an~
Pigure 11 i~ a ~$d~ view showing the in~ide of t~e
compression pAd ~hown $n Figure ~.
20246 1 ~
D~:SCRIPTION OF l'HE ~;~ER~i4 EME~ODl~.~rllS
~hes pr~ent $nvent~oll $~ an ~nkle br~c;e 2 'whicl
~nclude6 ~ h~el stirrup 4, ~o whicll a~e attached lln lnner pi~ro~
5 l~g 6, an outer pivo~ leg 8, o.nd ~ p~vot ~trap 10~ Rivet~ 12
and 14 connect the inner pivot leg 6 an~ ~uter p$vot leg B,
re~pect~vely, to ~e h~el ~tirrup 4. Tne outer ri~vet 14
prefe~a~ly i~ poGitione~ ghtly lower than the inner r$vet 12
to corre~pond with t~e outer ~n~ inner p$vot point~ of the ~nkle
10 ~ones ~the l~ter~l ~nalleolus an~ med~ al mal~eolus,
r~spoctively). ~hi~ can 3~e ~een mc~t cl~arly in Fi~ure 4, in
wh$c:h the dictAn~e "a" from the oute~ rivet 14 to the f lAt
bottom 3 0 cf the heel ~t~r~up 4 i~ less than t~e di~tan~e "b~
from the ihner ~ivet 12 to the flat bottom 30. Thus, the an~le
lS brace pivot~ along the ~ame axis ~ the foot, p~ovi~ing m~ximum
~omfort ~nd m~xim~ ilexing of the ~nkle forw~rd and bacXward
(pl~ntar~}exion ~nd dorsi~lex~on). The ~eel qti~rup 4 and the
pi~o~ l~g~ 6, ~ ~re made o~ a rel~tively ~tiff materlal, such as
polypropylene, ~n~ they overlap ~ubst~nti~lly in the vertical
directio~ s to ~evexely llm~t ~lexing inward or outward
(in~er~ion or e~er~on). Inward ~nd outwar~ flexing could ~e-
inj~re the ankle ~nd therefor~ mu~t be p~evented whils still
p~r~tting 45 ~uoh flexi~ ty of the ~nkle as po~iblo.
On the ~n~ido o~ the p~v~t legs 6, ~ are rele~sable
~tt~chment m~ans ~6. In thiB e~bo~i~ent, strlp~ o~ materlal
includlng t~e hook ~iae of A hook and loop type of connector
~uch a~ the VelcroTM brand ~re glue~ to the pivot legs at the
C ~ 5
point~ 16. A~ ~hown ~n F~gures 1, 3 and 4, innsr ~nd outer
~xerc~s~ pads 18, 20 ~re mounted on ~e inBide o~ the inner a~d
~utes plvot leg~ 6, 8, re~pect~ely. ~ac~ exerci~e pad 1~, 20
h~ tr~p of loop connector materi~l 22 glu~ to lt~ outer
~urfa~e~ T~is ~trip 22 ~ate~ w~ th the corre~pondlng ~trip 16 on
~he ~n5$de of the pivot ~e~ 6, 8 . This permi~s the pads 18, 20
to be e~ily at~ach~ ~o ~nd r~move~ fro~ t~e ankle bra~e 2.
~hi~ ~ethod of attachment ~160 permits the pads 18, 20 to be
ad~u~ted ~p, down, forward, or rearward to ~it ~he wearer.
1~
The inner and ou~er pivot leg~ 6, 8 ~re contoured at
th~ t~p to wrap part~ay around the 6 i de cf the wearer ' ~ leg .
Th~s contour provid~s good ~urfsce area contact bstween the
brace and ~he wearer'~ leg, whlch make~ the ~race comfortable
and effe~tive. ~he co~to~r also prevents ~he pivot leg~ 6, 8
from ~liding forward or ~ac~ward on the we~rer'~ leg. The
contour ~180 permit8 8 comfor~a~le fit for A vAriety of 6izes of
wea~ers' leg~.
The lowe~ one-third of each of the pivot legs 6, ~
bends outw~rd in th~ area 24 and t~en downward in the ar~a 25.
This ~itates the ~h~pe of the i~ner and outer ankle bones,
thereby providing msximum surface area conta~t ~n the area of
the ~n~le w~ich nsed6 support, Th~ s ma~es the brsce more
~S ~om~ort~ and mor~ e~fective t~an i~ t~e pivot legs 6, B we~e
~t~iq~t. It ~s al~o ~ake6 the br~oe ~maller so i~ can f~t in~o
the wearer's ~hoe more readily. Tbe lowermost portion ~8 of the
pi~o~ ~eg~ (~hrough whi~h the rivets 12, 14 pa~ lie6 in a
~er~ic~l plane tperpen~i~ul~r ~P ~e ~l~t bo~tom 30 ~f the heel
ct~rrup 4) to e~our~ge the ~orwa~d ~nd bAckwAr~ flexing of the
foot w~lle ~est~ictlng inward ~nd outward flexing.
The hee~ ~t~rrup 4 f~t~ inGide ~h~ wearer'~ ~hoe, and
the bottom 30 1 i88 un~e~ the ~earer' B heel. A~ B~OWTI in Fi~ure
5, the flat ~ om 30 i~ con~l~erably longer ln th~ re~ion 31
whlch lie~ ~elow the outer p$vot leg 8 than 1~ the region 34,
whlch lie~ ~elow ~h~ inner pivot leg 6. ~he long area 32
pro~ide~ a large 8UppO~ ba~e ~or the out~r portion of the ~oo~,
~nd the tapering of ~he bottom 3~ ~o the ~hor~er ~egion 34
prov~des gre~t~r comfort ~n the ~rch area of ~he foot. ~hile
the brace is not ~ymme~rical, it can be ~urned ~round ~nd used
on the other foot to provide the sa~e ex~ellent fit on either
15 foot. ~hi~ greatly reduce~ the ~nventory t~at ~ tr~lner or
do~tor would have to main~in.
The heel ctirrup 4 i~ subs~Antia~ly U-~haped, wi~h the
flat bo~tom 30 ~onnecting inne~ and outer upriqh~ portion~ 36,
~0 38, re~pecti~ely. The c~tex upright 38 extends su~tantially
ver~ically fro~ ~h~ fl4t bottom 30 for approximAtely one-t~ird
of it~ height, then bende ~utward ~lightly~ ~nd t~en return~ ~o
~ substanti~lly ~ertlcal dirR~tion ln ~he portion through whi~h
the rivet 14 pass~.
The inner upright 3~ extend~ away from the base 30 at
an ~ngle C (~hown in Figure 4~ o~ approximately ee~enty-f i~e
~egree~. ~hls ~nyled portion 40 extend~ Por ~pproximately two-
d~ of th~ height o~ th~ ~nner upright 36. Shi~ ~ngleco~,~apon~s ~nAtomicJ~lly ~rith ~he ~hape of the in~ide of the
an~l~ w~en it ~ bearing we~ht. When the foot b~s,r~ weigh~,
the ~ns~de of the foot ~l~ttens And roll~ ghtly ~nwa~d. The
S upper one-th ~ ~d p~rtion 4 2 of the ~r~ner upr~ght 3 6 ~xtends
~ertically, putting~ $t in l~ne w~tl~ t~e ~nkle bone, As was
expla~ned ~arl~ er, th~ ou~sid~ ri~et 14 c~e~ines ~ pivot point
wh$ch ~6 lower th~n ~he pi~ ot p~int defined by the in~ide ~ivet
1~. lr~ other word~, the outs~de pt~ot point 14 is located a
10 ~horter ve~tical di~tAnce fro~ the ~lat bot~om 30 Of the stirr~p
than is tbe ~nside pivot point 12.
qwo aonnecting s~rapQ 44, 4G ar~ ~ttached to tl~e upper
portion of the pl~rot le~s 6, 8 to keep the pi~rot legs 6, B elose
~o the u~er ~ ~ 1 eg . Ilhe~e ~trap~ 4 4, 4 ~ prefera~ly hav~ a 1 oop
conn~ctor mater~al on th~ir in~ide ~iurface 50, and the mat$ng
hoo)c connector ~aterial i~ located ~ n ~tr~ps 4 8 glued t~ the
out6id~ of t~e p~vot l~gs 6, 8. The outside ~urface ~f ~he
~trapQ 44, 4 6 m4y also include some o~ the hook connector
20 ~na~erial eo that ~he etraps 44, 46 r~an ~e secu~ely w~apped onto
the~sel-~es .
The pi~ot strap 10 i~ p~ota~ly mount~d on the lower
stra~ght portion of the ou~er upright 38 bymeans of a riYe~ 52.
2S Th1~ means th~t the pivo~ str~p 10 is ri~etQd below t~e point ~t
~hlch the outer p~vot leg 8 pi~.ro~ relativ~ to the ~t~rrup 4.
The pivot st~ap 10 ~rosses behind the wearer's leg ~nd attache~
to the hook ~onn~o~or ~trip 48 on the outc$de of the ~ nner pivot
leg 6. In thi~ way, the ~tre~p ~ O prevent~ the ~r~ce 2 ~rom
al~dlng forw~rd ~elati~ ~o the u~er'~ ~oo~. ~he ~ngle Of the
~trap 10 1~180 p~o~des fo~ce ~n the proper ~ect~on to hold ~be
outer upr~g~t 3B olo~e to the ankle and tc~ prevent zlny increa~e
5 in the angle ~t~en the inner upright 36 ~nd t~e rl~t ~ottom 30
(which wou~ d be a decrea~e ln the ~ngle C of ~igure 4 ), thereby
prov~ d~ ng a forc:e whioh G~ 0~ eny inver~ion of th~ ankle .
t~hen ~he ~nkle ~r~ce 2 i8 ~UL~.ed ~round and uaed on ~he ri~ht
foot (no~ own), the pivot ~ap 18 ~lmply pivot~ ~;0 that it
10 will ~ros~ ~he o~her ~ide of the brace ~formerly the front aide,
wl~iCh W~ 11 then l:~e ~he ~aclc~ .
A heel pad ~4 ~ay be placed on top o~ the flat bottom
30 to re~:eive the wearer'~ heel. The heel pad S4 ls pre~era~ly
15 made of ~ ~iof~ u~etl~ne materlal which will cushion ~he wearer '
h~el . ~he h~el pad 54 al~o cups th~ wearer ' 6 foot ~ ~urrounding
the side~ and bac~c of the heel, wh~ ch will reduce talar ti~t,
~llowin~7 for A qu~cker reCoVery from ~n in~ury.
A compression pad 55, ~15 shown in ~igures 2, 7, and ll
can ~e u~ed to replAce the exercise pad 18 or 2~, when edema or
~we~ling Ar~ pre~en~. ~he cc~pressior~ pad 55 will ~su~ly be
worn only on the ~;~de o~ the fv~t that i~ injured, u~ually the
out~ide, ~ 8~10Wll in F~gure 7, leavinSI an exsrci6e pad 20 or 18
on th~ other ~;~de. ~rhe c;ompre~sion pa~ 5~ ls made of a ~tiffer
~teri~l th~n the ex~rc~e pad. In the preferred ~mbod~ment,
both the exe~ci~e pads ~nd tl~e cc~pre~sion pad~ ~re made o~
urethane foam, and the co~plession pa~ i~ denser"naking it
tif~r. Ihe com~ e~on p~d ~ wider ~nd thic~cer than the
~xerci6e p~d in the ~rea o~ the o.nkle and h~s a dQep, rounded
~ nder~t~tion 57 which cup~ aroun~ the ankle bone to prov 1 de
localized pre6~ure on th8 in~u~y site,
A~ shown in ~gure ?, the de~pest part 60 of the
~ndentation ~7 ~s allqned with the ~enter of t~e rivet 14, which
def incs th~ pivo~ polnt . ~he exerc$se pAd 1~ al80 ha# arl
lnd~nt~ltion 5~ to ~eceive the ~nk~e borle, bu~ that ~ndentAtion
10 5~ is m~c~ ~hallc~wer ~han the indenta~ion S7 c~ the comp~e~sion
pad 55. The deepe~t p~rt 62 o~ the ~ndentation 5~ in the
exerci~e pad 1~ i~ al~o aligned wi~h t~e pivot poin~ of it~
r~cpective side of the brace, but ~t should be no~ed tha~ ~he
~mpr~ion p~d ~xtends ~ sub~tantially grea~er distancs down-
war~ from the deepest part 60 of lts indentation 57 than does
~e exerc$ce pad. Thlg $6 n~ce~sary in order for the compres-
~on p~d 55 to app~y p~-4sure completely around the bone on the
~e of the ~nkle that i~ in~ured. I~ the iniury were on the
~n~ide of the ankle, the co~pression pad 55 and ~xerqi~e pad 18
of ~igure ~ ~ould ~wi~ch s$de~, witb each pad's indenta~ion
Al~gned with the pivot point of it~ re pecti~e side.
A~ with t~e exerci~e pad 18, 20, the ~ompress~on pad
55 has a ~oop connsctor portion 22 on ~t~ outer ~ur~ce which
mAtes with ~he hook ~onnector por~ion 16 on the in~ide of the
pivot leg. This form of atta~hment permits t~e compr~ssion pad
t~ ~e ~djusted relAtivs to th~ pivot lBg 6 or B for the begt
fit. ~h~ compre~sion pad ~5 ~orsby fits p~e~isely around the
11
in~ured ~nkle to ~pply pr~oure d~ r~ctly on the ~n~ury. This
p~r~it~ gr~ ~r pr~ur~ to be ~ppl~e~ to th~ $n~ur~ co~fort-
ably, w~t~out ~e~trictlng movemen~ Any mor~ th~n ~ ~r-rry. The
co~pres~lon pro~ided ~ the oompr~s~iorl p~d 55 w~ll r~duce edema
S or ~welling thAt m~y norm~lly follow ~n in~ury or exercise.
Reducing th~s ~well$ng dec:r~a~e~ the ~ever$ty 4f the in~u~y,
~horten~ reco~rery t~me, dco~a~es p~in, e~nd incre~se~ the r~nge
of motion of the ~ oint .
~o The inte~changea~ lity of the eXercis~ p~d and ~he
compressic~n p~d allow~ ~he wearer to cc~ntrol his own tre~ment,
pe~mitting him to u~e ~ compression pad when 6welling i~ ~
prob~em ~nd th~n ~o 6wi~ol~ to the exerc:i ~e pad a~ 600n ~ the
swelling goes down. This maxl~nize~; the ~enef~ts f~om ~oth the
c:ompre~ion And the exerc:i~e type~ o~ therapy. T~e colapress~ on
pad SS lf curved or contou~ed in it,L u~pqlr two-th~ rds to h~lp
fit ~xound the leg. This prevent~ the compre~Rion pad from
~liding forw~rd or b~ckward on the u&er'~ leg.
A palr o~ fluld-filled packs S~, a~ shown in ~igures
and g, can Al~o be u~ed in ~he pre~ent invent~on. The fluid-
f illed p~k~ 56 have an outer ~urf~Ge mAde of a m~eri~l which
will ~'cick to the ~oo~c Y~s~ener6. I~he ~wo ~lu~d-filled packs
~re ~oin~d ~y ~ strap SB which pa~ses under the ~oot, And
2S ~nother ~trap 64 may be u~ea to wrap arouna t~e two fluid-fllled
pac3~-~ to ~ecure t~em to the we~rer' s leg . ~e fluld-fil~ed
pac:k~; are ch~ lled by placing them in a freezer, ~nd then they
~re att~ched to th~ ~ n~ide of the pivot leg~ fi, 8 by mean6 o~
2G%~
the hook conn~ctor~ on t~e le~ ~, 8 ~nd the matillg fabri~ coYer
on ~he p~cks S~S. The fluld-~ille~ p~c~cs S6 chill th~ ~rea o~
t~e ~n~us~ hsreby re~uc~ng ~well ~ ng .
In rl typ~c~l treat;~ner~t plz~n, ttle cIIi~led p~c:X~ 56 a~e
~pl i ed 1. Rdiately ~fter ln~u~y ~or About twenty minutes.
~hen, the co~d packg 56 ~re re~oved, ~ compre~sion p~d ~5 i~
in~erted int~ the brace on the ~ide of the $n~ury, ~nd an
exe~çise pad 18 or 2 0 i~ $n6erte~ n ~he ot~er tlde . T~e
10 ~njur~d person U~es thi~ ~rrangement of the ~race until the
cwellin~ goes down. Then the compr~sion pad 55 $~ removed, and
two exerc$~e pad~ 1~, 20 are used.
The ~rr~nge~ent of the pre~nt ~n~ention permits a
~$rlgle ~race ~ to be used thrc~ugll all t~e ~tages of tr~atment
and p~rmit~ th~ wearer to control the t~ea~men~ to minimize
paln, prote~t the Ank~e, r~duce swelling, ~d exerc$~e the ankle
~s ~uch ~ poss~ble to pro~ote healinq.
~e~t~ hAve ~een con~ucted compar~ng the present
~nvention using two exercige pads wi~h oth~r an~le ~upports on
thr market, ~nd the rsgults we~e 6tri~ng. ~he r~nge of m~tion
for forw~rd ~nd ba~kwar~ flexing ~planta~flexion And
~o~siflexion) iB ~ub~tantia~ly greater for the present invention
2S t~an for t~e A~r-Stirru~ br~nd ~upport, the Swedo brand support,
~r for A taped ~nlcle. The ~thletes using the pre~ent $nvention
w~re able to ~pply e~sentially the ~me ~o~ce ln plant~rflexion
~8 they could withou~ ~ny Bupportl while all other ~upport~
13
20246 t 5
~eduoed th~ a~oun~ of Sorce they ~ould apply. The ath~etes
u~ng ~he px ~ .L ~nventlon ~n pl~ntar~lcxion f~tigu~d at about
th~ ~me r~te A~ they did w~thout a brace, ~here~s the user~ of
~11 oth~r ~upport~ ~xhibite~ great~r ratigue. Th~ p~es~nt
~nven~ion ~lao p~ov~ded ~ub~t~nt~lly gr~a~er prot~ction agsin6
~nver~ion than ~ he oth~r supports.
lt will be o~ u~ to those ~illed ~n the art that
~od~ ficat~ ons may be made to the c~mbodiments des~ribed above
10 without depart~ng ~rom the Ccope of the present invention.
14
